THE ADVOCATE 449
VOL. 80 PART 3 MAY 2022
Derek was thoughtful, industrious and creative; these were qualities difficult
to hide, even as a long-suffering Canucks fan. In 1994, Derek and his
friends Ben and Will made a “Canuck-mobile” out of a 1976 AMC Matador
and drove it to Toronto for the playoffs. The boys were featured on Hockey
Night in Canada and wherever they went, the car was signed by celebrities
and players. In school, Derek focused his education in areas that would help
others. He graduated with a bachelor of arts in 1996, a bachelor of science
in physiotherapy in 1999 and from law school in 2003, all at the University
of British Columbia.
Derek spent his early years of practice at Alexander Holburn Beaudin +
Lang LLP; he worked there as a summer student, an articled student and a
young associate. He practised in the areas of family law and of life and disability
insurance with Jo Ann Carmichael, Q.C., and his training in anatomy
and rehabilitation made him a natural fit in the personal injury insurance
defence group of his principal D. Christopher Fong. They had terrific fun
practising law together and facing challenges with enthusiasm and energy.
Derek once was tasked with bringing way too much alcohol, including
open containers, over the Canadian border, an experience that taught him
to be unflappable. Derek arranged a hockey game against the firm’s law
partners that was billed as Partners vs. The World, from which he learned
team building and showing grace to his opponents. Derek consistently
strived, but without failing while doing so to treat everyone with respect, to
hear them out and to work toward a common solution.
It would not take very long for Derek to realize that his natural inclinations
to help injured people as a physiotherapist might better be served by
acting for the injured parties as their counsel. Derek worked in the area of
plaintiff personal injury, first by joining Murphy Battista and then Harper
Grey LLP. Though his choice to cross-the-street and work the other side
seems obvious in hindsight, at the time it was much more difficult. Derek
could not have known then what he knows now. How he treated people—
openly and respectfully—made a difference. How he approached claims—
candidly and honestly—made a difference. Derek became a good person to
work with whether he was on your side or against you. He would carry out
his work honourably and pragmatically. The struggles between the clients
were never struggles between counsel. Over time, it became clear that
Derek’s reputation to fight hard for a fair result served his clients well.
Derek is grounded by his wife Joanna, who works as a social worker at
Vancouver General Hospital, and his children Bradley and Catherine. He
has spent much of his free time coaching youth sports baseball, hockey and
soccer.